How Long Does it Take to Build a Habit?
Changing habits can be challenging, it is vitally important to focus on creating new habits (rather than having too much focus on what you are trying to stop). Previously we have been told that it takes 21 days to form a habit, however, recent research from the...
Low fat or full fat dairy – which is best?
Recently I have been seeing nutrition experts ranking full fat milk lower than skim milk for health. This frustrates me as I have been going on about this topic for 15 years or more! Over the years studies have been confiming the safety and health of full fat dairy,...
Exercise more effective than medication to manage mental health
In a study conducted by researchers at the University of South Australia, published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine in February 2023; exercise has been found to be more effective than medication or counselling in managing mental health. The study's findings...
Fermented foods for good mental health
All around the world you will find that countries often have their own staple fermented foods which are cemented into their culture and diet. Is it about preservation only or is there something more to it?Over and over studies show; and something I see every day with...
Why is this news?
We shouldn’t need to be told to walk more and eat better, should we? Reporting on nutrition and health studies can be weird sometimes. While it’s good news, if not great news that a new study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine found that a brisk daily...
Another excellent reason to move your body
According to the World Cancer Research Fund, breast cancer is now the most common cancer in the world; the good news is that physical activity may help reduce your risk.Epidemiologist Associate Professor Brigid Lynch who is the deputy director of the Cancer...
Why do we crave chocolate bars, crisps, and chips?
New research shows that foods with high fat and sugar content changes our brains. Even when we regularly eat small amounts of them, our brains learn to consume these foods in the future. To test this hypothesis, a group of volunteers were given a pudding containing...
Shift work and unhealthy eating habits
Monash University-led research has found that workers on rotating shifts eat worse and eat more compared to regular daytime workers. Rotating shift workers eat more calories, snack on more junk food, and don’t eat as many nutritious foods, which of course can put them...
Why do women generally choose healthier foods than men?
According to a 2022 Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) report, 96% of men and 87% of women don’t eat enough vegetables. There’s a few reasons why women in general choose to eat healthier foods than men: Women are more anxious about their health...
Nearly two-thirds of people living with dementia in Australia are women.
That ratio appears to hold throughout the world; twice as many women have dementia than men. One explanation could be that women tend to live longer than men, leaving them more isolated as they move into old age. We certainly know that connection with others is vital...
Why you should eat earlier rather than later
Research has shown that people who eat earlier benefit from better heart health than those who eat later in the night. A new study of 16 overweight patients provides evidence that late eating leads to decreased energy expenditure, increased hunger, and changes in fat...
Taking vitamin D could help prevent dementia
According to a new, large scale study, taking vitamin D supplements may help ward off dementia. Researchers from Canada and England explored the relationship between vitamin D supplementation and dementia in 12,388 participants in the USA who had an average age of 71...
Getting back to basics with fruit and veggies
Supermarkets can be expensive for fruit and veggies - as the cost-of-living skyrockets Farmer’s markets and farmgate shopping are usually the best option where possible Tips for saving money: buy what’s on special and plan your meals around those ingredients...
Eating eggs to slash your cardiovascular risk in half
A new Greek study asserts that eating one to three eggs a week can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease by more than half. The study described the 10-year cardiovascular effects of self-reported egg consumption. The new study surveyed healthy men and women...
Blaming eggs for cardiovascular disease, again!
Note: This is slightly updated version of the transcript from a video I did in March 2019, there are so many new studies coming out, I wanted to have this info a blog so it is easy to refer to: Today's news story is that eggs are going to kill you; I think it was...
How come the food that is considered “healthy” doesn’t seem to be as palatable?
A question I was asked recently on 3AW radio. I believe that the rise of processed foods in recent decades with “strong flavours” is the reason fruit, vegetables and for some people, water, don’t seem to taste as nice anymore. When you have lots of junk in your diet,...
Putting an end to the global body-hating epidemic
Our relationship with ourselves is the longest relationship we’ll ever have, so it needs to be a healthy one. If we don’t accept our body, we often don’t nourish it, this leads to unhealthy habits and can lead to poor health outcomes. Eating disorders, combined with...
Eat more eggs to reduce your risk for coronary artery disease
I get asked about eggs all the time in regards to cholesterol and heart disease. I have written quite a bit on cholesterol previously, click here to read more on cholesterol. Essentially, the cholesterol you eat has little, to no relationship with the cholesterol that...
Combine these six healthy lifestyle choices to slow memory decline
Beijing researchers found that over-60s who combined more healthy lifestyle choices were 30% to almost 90% less likely to develop dementia or mild cognitive impairment. Not surprisingly, a healthy diet had the strongest effect so it always a good place to start! ...
A useful nutrition tip for those with asthma
Asthma is a chronic respiratory condition that affects millions of people worldwide. It is characterized by inflammation and narrowing of the airways, which can make it difficult to breathe. While there is no cure for asthma, there are a number of strategies that can...
Jazzing up Nonna’s humble pasta
For pasta to be a healthy option depends on who’s eating it, what it’s matched with, and what their day and week look like overall in regard to food, drink, and exercise. Clearly, pasta is an issue for those who cannot tolerate gluten or wheat and those with insulin...
Low-carb diet helps cut blood sugar levels in people with prediabetes
For people with pre-diabetes, also known as insulin resistance, a low-carb diet could quickly bring elevated A1C levels back to a healthier range, a trial published in JAMA Network Open suggests. Adults aged 40 to 70 years with untreated HbA1c (a blood test that shows...
A handful of almonds could keep extra kilos at bay
In new research from the University of South Australia which examined how almonds can affect appetite, researchers found that a snack of 30-50 grams of almonds could help people to cut back on the number of kilojoules they consume each day. The sttudy was published in...
Higher vitamin K intake linked to lower bone fracture risk late in life
Research from Edith Cowan University's Nutrition and Health Innovation Research Institute has revealed there may be something you can do to help reduce your risk of fractures later in life. As we age, hip fractures can become particularly damaging and result in...
How women can reduce the risk of hip fracture
According to new research, increasing intake of protein and drinking regular cups of tea or coffee; is a way women could reduce their risk of suffering a hip fracture. Food scientists at the University of Leeds have found that for women, a 25g a day increase in...
Put the kettle on!
How black tea and other flavonoid containing foods may help your health later in life! The key is flavonoids, which are naturally occurring substances found in many common foods and beverages such as black and green tea, berries, apples, citrus fruit and nuts. They...
Are you Activating Your Life Force?
Recently I watched Johah Hill's doco about his therapist and therapy on Netflix "Stutz". It was interesting and full of useful strategies for life. One of those strategies is called Activating your Life Force and is the therapists starting point for those who come to...
Up to one in five premature deaths are directly linked to ultra-processed foods.
Researchers in Brazil estimated that in 2019, the deaths of around 57,000 Brazilian people between the ages of 30 and 69 were attributable to highly processed snacks. That amounted to nearly 22 per cent of deaths from preventable diseases among that age group, and 10...
Is the consumption of ultra-processed foods associated with cognitive decline?
In a cohort study of 10 775 individuals, (published in JAMA Neurology on 4 December 2022), higher consumption of ultra-processed foods was associated with a higher rate of global and executive function decline after a median follow-up of 8 years. The study...
At risk for type 2 diabetes? Cut the carbs, says new study
According to new research from Tulane University, a low-carb diet can help those with un-medicated diabetes -- and those at risk for diabetes -- lower their blood sugar. The randomised clinical study that included 150 adults, published in the journal JAMA Network...
Why being a perfectionist will not help you achieve sustainable goals!
Perfectionism will not help you achieve your goals! Don't confuse healthy striving with perfectionism, they may look the same but they are quite different. Healthy striving is doing your best, and working diligently towards a goal. Perfectionism, on the other hand, is...
New Year’s Resolutions – what you need to know
Did you know research suggests that only 8% of people achieve their New Year's goals? Some of you may have already broken your resolutions. The way you approach goals and resolutions can make a big difference in you results.6 things you need to know to help you...
Is white rice as bad as junk food?
A middle eastern study has found that eating refined grains like white rice is associated with increased risk of premature heart disease, and whole grains consumption with a reduced risk of developing heart problems in middle age. The study recruited 2099...
Australia now has a fatty liver epidemic
Australia’s persistently poor diet and lack of exercise is catching up with us in the form of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Fatty liver is linked with heart failure within a decade, but it’s easily treated with a healthy diet and lifestyle if you get in...
Stop thinking about food as calories
Many dietary approaches focus on calories alone, ignoring quality. It’s important to remember that the food we eat is what our body is made from, yes - you really are what you eat! Nutrients from your diet are used to make new body cells and control their function....
Less than five hours’ sleep a night linked to higher risk of multiple diseases
Getting less than five hours of sleep in mid-to-late life could be linked to an increased risk of developing at least two chronic diseases, finds a new study led by UCL researchers. The research, published in PLOS Medicine, analysed the impact of sleep duration on the...
Protein hunger drives overeating
A year-long study of the dietary habits of 9,341 Australians has backed growing evidence that highly processed and refined foods are the leading contributor of rising obesity rates in the Western world. The new study of 9,341 adults, in the latest issue of the journal...
The importance of eating together with loved ones
There’s a good reason why families should eat together. Constant stress can increase the risk of heart disease and stroke, but according to a new survey from the American Heart Association, regularly eating meals with others lowers stress and in turn, the risk of...
Are you a food addict?
No, you can’t be addicted to something that is essential to life like air, food, or sleep. Calling yourself a food addict will continue to drive an unhealthy relationship with food. Of course you can be strongly habituated to certain foods but it’s not helpful to use...
Scientists have issued a dire warning to diet cola drinkers, revealing that one can a day can raise your risk of heart attack!
These French researchers studied the eating habits and health of 100,000 people over 10 years. They found that the biggest artificial sweetener consumers (who consume just 78mg per day, similar to what is found in half a can of diet drink) were nine per cent more...
